horn rattling

con...@cotton.uamont.edu

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Aug 22, 1996, 3:00:00 AM8/22/96

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Does horn rattling work? When? Does anyone have any suggestions on
techniques?

RBrown

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Aug 25, 1996, 3:00:00 AM8/25/96

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con...@cotton.uamont.edu wrote:
>
> Does horn rattling work? When? Does anyone have any suggestions on
> techniques?

Sure. It's supposedly the most effective around the rut, but I've
had deer approach several weeks before and after the rut.

I usually hunt from the ground, so I try to get behind a natural blind
such as downed trees or low brush. I start by giving short grunts on a
call, then clash the horns together. Then without pulling them apart,
I twist and grind them together. The idea is to simulate a struggle
between two deer, so I also rub the horns against the ground and low
brush as if the fight was moving. After about 45 seconds of rattling,
I'll stop and give one or two short grunts and then start over again.
I usually rattle for 2-3 minutes and then quit. Sometimes the deer come
straight on in, sometimes they take 30 minutes or more.

I've found that in addition to attracting deer, it seems to drive
grey squirrels crazy.

Ray Brown
NRA Life Member

Al Trainer

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Aug 26, 1996, 3:00:00 AM8/26/96

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Hi,
I have been rattling horns for an awful long time and have had great
success with the method during the hunting of white tailed deer.
Our bow season starts Oct. 1 in Michigan and I have learned in the pre
rut not to get to active, just a tingle and a tap to get their attention.
As it gets closer to the rut, you can put more excitement into it.
One of the biggest mistakes a rattler makes, that I learned from the
start is the over rattle, and the severity if a deer is just outside
visual distance.
Bucks sparing only last a short time not minutes, and they are not out
to kill each other.
This noice can be heard for a couple of miles in flatter terrain.
Another mistake I made was the size of the antlers I used for rattling.
With real huge racks I chased alot of nice deer away including some with
equilavant racks. It seems here the medium six to large six work well and
easy to control. I have also rattled during late December when the
second heat comes in with some success. Usually the antlers are getting
ready to fall off by then, but it does attract attention.
I is very effiecient with two hunters especially with a bow.
It is good to get a good video and watch the techniques.But mind you not
all of them are good.
In an area where a few hunters are or have just been rattling your
success with drop drastically.

AL

mayfly

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Aug 29, 1996, 3:00:00 AM8/29/96

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con...@cotton.uamont.edu writes:
> Does horn rattling work? When? Does anyone have any suggestions on
> techniques?

Yeah, buddy, it works.
Anytime from when they start to shed to the end of rutting.

Took me two seasons before I started getting some results.
I've had PAIRS of bucks come in on two occasions!

I won't start on stories, but I think you'll pick up the basics pretty quick by
renting one of the big buck videos w/ rattling.

Note the progression of fights by the bucks...sparing in early fall (i.e.
rattle quietly) up to full blown antler bashing, ground scraping,
brush smashing fights just before and during the period when the does come in.

Try setting up with a pal, downwind of a bedding area. You face the thicket edge
,
your pal behind you about 20-30 yards and rattling occasionally.
Younger bucks will come in real sneaky and looking for any movement.
Dominant bucks will come in very aggressively, even with their back hair standin
g.

Chuck Woodring

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Sep 4, 1996, 3:00:00 AM9/4/96

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mayfly <oma0...@mail.wvnet.edu> wrote:

>con...@cotton.uamont.edu writes:
>> Does horn rattling work? When? Does anyone have any suggestions on
>> techniques?

>Yeah, buddy, it works.
>Anytime from when they start to shed to the end of rutting.

When would the rut be in Pennsylvania?

>Took me two seasons before I started getting some results.
>I've had PAIRS of bucks come in on two occasions!

>I won't start on stories, but I think you'll pick up the basics pretty quick by
>renting one of the big buck videos w/ rattling.

What is the deal with the fake antlers they sell?

Kevin Graham

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Sep 6, 1996, 3:00:00 AM9/6/96

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Chuck Woodring wrote:

>
> What is the deal with the fake antlers they sell?

I have read about people rattling up bucks with as little as 2 aluminum
arrows. Apparently if the sound even remotely resembles an antler sound
the deer don't seem to care. There is a pretty interesting article in
this months Field and Stream covering some of the latest research in
this area. I would pick it up and start there. Then go ahead and buy a
video on the subject. I personally would highly recommend one of the
Woods Wise videos that they include with the purchase of some of their
calls.
--
Thanks,

Kevin

*******************************************************
* Kevin Graham *
* Deer-Tales, WWW Photos and Stories *
* http://www.erinet.com/kgraham/kgraham.html *
*******************************************************

Daniel E. Platt

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Sep 9, 1996, 3:00:00 AM9/9/96

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In article <3230BA...@erinet.com>, Kevin Graham writes:
|> Chuck Woodring wrote:
|>
|> >
|> > What is the deal with the fake antlers they sell?
|>
|> I have read about people rattling up bucks with as little as 2 aluminum
|> arrows. Apparently if the sound even remotely resembles an antler sound
|> the deer don't seem to care. There is a pretty interesting article in
|> this months Field and Stream covering some of the latest research in
|> this area. I would pick it up and start there. Then go ahead and buy a
|> video on the subject. I personally would highly recommend one of the
|> Woods Wise videos that they include with the purchase of some of their
|> calls.

I've read a few articles recently citing studies indicating the frequency
ranges deer can hear is rather smaller than that we can hear. Further,
those whistlers people put on cars to alert deer are outside of their
measured frequency sensitivity. The articles suggest deer don't hear
a wide range of frequency of sounds (sort of what we hear with a cold),
which would imply they don't have as good discrimination ability as we
have. Now, to my ears, aluminum arrows do sound a lot like deer antlers.
I wouldn't be surprised that deer can't tell the difference. What deer
DO seem to be able to do is to hear faint noises and determine direction
very well. They also care a lot about what noises are like, in terms of
whether the rattling sounds staged or whether it sounds like a real spar
or fight.... especially if they've had some experience being duped before.

Dan

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Daniel E. Platt pl...@watson.ibm.com
The views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of my employer.
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